Free tool · No sign-up · Takes 60 seconds

What to ask at your 6-week postpartum checkup

You get one short appointment after everything your body has been through — and it's easy to walk out realising you forgot the thing you most wanted to ask. Tick what's on your mind and get a personalised, printable list to take with you.

Step 1

How did you give birth?

This changes a few of the questions worth asking.

Step 2

How are you feeding your baby?

Some answers — especially about medication and birth control — depend on this.

Step 3

What's actually on your mind?

Tick everything that applies — even the things that feel too small or too awkward to bring up.

Your list

Questions to take to your checkup

This tool doesn't diagnose anything. It only helps you organise what to raise with your own doctor or midwife, who knows your history and can actually examine you. Nothing here replaces their advice — and if something feels wrong before your appointment, contact them rather than waiting for the date on the calendar.

What usually happens at the 6-week visit

It's often short

Many postpartum visits run 15–20 minutes, and a lot of that is the physical exam. That's precisely why a written list helps — it's easy to lose your thread when you're holding a baby and running on broken sleep.

A physical check

Usually blood pressure, weight, a look at your abdomen or incision, and depending on your birth, an internal exam to see how the uterus and any stitches have healed.

A mood screening

Many providers use a short written questionnaire about how you've been feeling. Answer it honestly rather than how you think you're supposed to feel — it's the main route to getting support if you need it.

Contraception

Expect a conversation about birth control, including which options fit with breastfeeding if that applies to you.

"Clearance"

This is where most people are cleared for exercise and sex. Worth remembering: clearance is a checkpoint, not proof that healing is finished — deeper tissue and the pelvic floor keep rebuilding for months.

It's often the last one

In many places this single visit is the whole of postpartum follow-up. If you have concerns, this is the appointment to raise them in — or to ask explicitly for another one.

Common questions

What if I feel silly asking about something small?

Postpartum providers hear these questions constantly — leaking, pain during sex, intrusive thoughts, hair falling out in handfuls. The things that feel most embarrassing are usually the most common. Writing them down in advance makes them much easier to say out loud.

How many questions is too many?

If your list is long, say so at the start of the appointment rather than the end: "I have a few things I want to get through today." That gives your provider a chance to manage the time, or to book you a follow-up instead of rushing.

Should I bring my baby?

Most people do, and clinics expect it. But if you have things you want to discuss properly — especially about mood — it can be worth arranging for someone to come and hold the baby in the waiting room for those few minutes.

What if I'm past six weeks already?

The list still works. Plenty of people have this appointment late, miss it entirely, or only realise months afterwards that something needs looking at. It is not too late to book a visit and bring these questions.

What if I don't feel heard?

You're allowed to ask directly: "What would need to be happening for this to be worth investigating?" or to request a referral, a second opinion, or a follow-up appointment. Persistent symptoms deserve a proper answer, not reassurance alone.